Stackable mini-duffle bags to stack within a standard duffle bag

ABSTRACT

Three mini-duffle bags each have a flat cover and flat bottom and cylindrical body to stack vertically inside a standard issue duffle bag. The cover is stitched to the mini-duffle bag along a short section to hinge the cover thereon. Strips of mating hook and loop fasteners between the standard issue duffle bag and the annular side of the cover securing the cover thereon when fully packed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to duffle bags and particularly to mini-duffle bags which are stacked within a standard sized duffle bag for separating stored items in the duffle bag.

2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

Military personnel and others who have used duffle bags are aware of how difficult it is to maintain the order of contents within the bag. Retrieving items at the bottom of the bag messes up the rest of the contents of the bag requiring re-arranging the entire contents. Placing all of the items requiring storage in the duffle bag in an efficient manner to pack the most items possible in the bag is challenging when stuffing the duffle bag. Prior art patents fail to adequately address these problems.

U.S. Patent Application #20020053575, published May 9, 2002 by Oliver, is for a personal storage apparatus for allowing military people, hunters, campers, travelers, survivalists, truck drivers and other individuals to easily carry toiletries and other small items. The apparatus would comprise a sturdy plastic case which would have a base and a lid. The plastic case would preferably be approximately 11½ inches by 11½ inches, which would allow the plastic case to fit in a government issued duffle bag or M1 bag.

U.S. Pat. No. D492,847, issued Jul. 13, 2004 to Siefker, provides the ornamental design for a duffle bag organizer.

U.S. Pat. No. D443,139, issued Jun. 5, 2001 to Salz, shows the ornamental design for a removable inner bag for a handbag.

U.S. Pat. No. D443,764, issued Jun. 19, 2001 to Salz, describes the ornamental design for a removable inner bag for a handbag.

U.S. Pat. No. D437,687, issued Feb. 20, 2001 to Salz, discloses the ornamental design for a removable inner bag for a handbag.

U.S. Pat. No. D432,310, issued Oct. 24, 2000 to Salz, indicates the ornamental design for a removable inner bag for a handbag.

U.S. Pat. No. D408,146, issued Apr. 20, 1999 to Briganti, claims the ornamental design for a removable organizer liner for handbag.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,842, issued Aug. 13, 1991 to Huang, puts forth a nesting bag that comprises a 3-bag combination and a strap. The three bags of the combination are so dimensioned that they are slidably disposed within one another, leaving two suitable spaces between the bottoms of the inner and middle bags as well as between the bottoms of the middle and outer bags respectively. The spaces grow larger when and after the inner and middle bas are pulled upwards relative to the middle and outer bags respectively. U-shaped zippers are horizontally provided on the top and bottom of the inner bag and on the bottom of the middle bag. When these zippers are pulled closed, the three bags can be used separately and when they are pulled open, the three bags can be used as a single, larger unit, instead. A U-shaped zipper is vertically provided on one side of the outer bag for conveniently putting objects into and taking them out of the outer bag. The strap has its stiff segments fixed on the end sides of the outer bag and its soft segments provided with button holes for holding the inner and middle bags in position when the bags have slid upwards.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,201, issued Feb. 13, 2001 to Salz, concerns a handbag with a removably attached inner bag. When a handbag of a different color or style is required, the inner bag can be removed from one outer shell and inserted into a second outer shell, allowing the user to change handbags without disturbing the contents of the inner bag.

What is needed is means for packing a duffle bag in an orderly fashion while fitting a maximum number of items in the duffle bag and enabling access to all the items in the duffle bag without disturbing the orderly arranged items packed in the duffle bag.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide multiple mini-duffle bags which pack neatly and tightly in a stacked array within a standard duffle bag as a means for packing a duffle bag in an orderly fashion while fitting a maximum number of items in the duffle bag and enabling access to all the items in the duffle bag without disturbing the orderly arranged items packed in the duffle bag.

Another object of the present invention is to provide mini-duffle bags of the same material and appearance to existing duffle bags, but one-third the height of a standard duffle bag, so that they fit stacked on top of each other in the standard duffle bag and have the same military style and color of the standard issue bag.

In brief, three mini-duffle bags are created using a similar color and type of fabric to that of the standard issue duffle bag, each having the same circumference but one-third the height of a standard issue duffle bag. Each mini-duffle bag has a flat bottom and flat cap so that each mini-duffle is packed and closed and stacked in a vertical array within the standard issue duffle bag. The smaller height bags enable easy packing and easy access to items in each bag and enable the top one or two bags to be removed without disturbing the packed contents to access a lower mini-duffle bag.

An advantage of the present invention is that it enables easier access to items stored in a standard issue duffle bag.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it enables more items to be packed within a standard issue duffle bag since each mini-duffle bag may be compacted for a tighter fit of items therein.

An additional advantage of the present invention is that lower mini-duffle bags may be accessed and opened to take out contents without disturbing the contents of the higher mini-duffle bags.

One more advantage of the present invention is that it matches the standard issue duffle bag in color and material.

Still another advantage of the present invention is

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other details of my invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are furnished only by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention, and in which drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the mini-duffle bag system of the present invention with two of the mini-duffle bags packed inside a standard issue duffle bag and a third mini-duffle bag aligned for insertion in the duffle bag;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a front of a mini-duffle bag of FIG. 1 shown open topped without the cover revealing strips of hook and loop fasteners around the perimeter adjacent to the top edge;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a back of a mini-duffle bag of FIG. 1 shown closed with the cover on top revealing stitching where the cover is sewn to the body surface and strips of mating hook and loop fasteners around the perimeter adjacent to the top edge to hold the cover on the mini-duffle bag;

FIG. 4A is a top plan view of a circular disc of material forming the flat bottom surface of a mini-duffle bag of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4B is a top plan view of a circular disc of material forming the flat top surface of the cover of a mini-duffle bag of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the elongated rectangle of material used to form the side surface of the mini-duffle bag of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the elongated strip of material used to form a side of the cover, showing the hook and loop fastener strips attached thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIGS. 1-6, a duffle bag system comprising a series of mini-duffle bags 20, preferably three mini-duffle bags, for storing items in a standard issue duffle bag 40 in a compact organized array with the three mini-duffle bags 20 stacked in a vertical array within the standard issue duffle bag 40, which has a standard carrying strap 41, as seen in FIG. 1.

Each of the mini-duffle bags 20 comprises a flat circular bottom surface 29, a flat removable cover 22, a cylindrical hollow body surface 21 with a top opening 26 for receiving items packed therein. At least one handle 23, and preferably two looped fabric handles, are attached to either the body surface 21, as in FIG. 1, or to the cover 22, as in FIG. 3, for lifting and carrying each of the mini-duffle bags 20. The series of mini-duffle bags 20 are stackable within a standard issue duffle bag 40 in a vertical array, as in FIG. 1 with a flat bottom surface 29 of the bottom mini-duffle bag resting on a bottom surface of the standard issue duffle bag 40 and each subsequent bottom surface 29 of each other mini-duffle bag 20 resting on a flat cover 27 of the mini-duffle bag below it and the cylindrical bodies 21 of the mini-duffle bags contacting inner wall surfaces of the standard duffle bag 40 within which the mini-duffle bags are stacked in a vertical array.

The mini-duffle bags 20 are preferably fabricated of a material and color matching a material of a standard military issue duffle bag 40 within which the series of mini-duffle bags are stacked.

In FIGS. 1-3 and 5, each cylindrical hollow body surface 21 of each mini-duffle bag 20 comprises an elongated rectangular sheet of material formed into a cylindrical configuration having a diameter equal to the diameter of the flat bottom surface with two ends of the sheet of material overlapping and attached together, preferably by stitching to enclose the sides of the cylindrical body surface, the flat bottom surface attached around a perimeter to a bottom edge of the body surface.

In FIGS. 1, 3, 4A, and 6, the flat cover 22 is fabricated of an elongated strip of material 28, as seen in FIG. 6 formed into a circular array with overlapping ends attached together, preferably by stitching 19, to form a circular side of the cover, the strip of material 28 attached to the flat circular top surface 27 of the cover around a perimeter thereof to form a flat circular cover which fits snugly over a top edge of the cylindrical body surface to close the mini-duffle bag 40.

In FIG. 3, the cover 22 is permanently attached, preferably by stitching 19 to the body portion along a portion of the annular side 28 of the cover to form a fabric hinge permanently attaching the cover pivotally to the standard issue duffle bag 40.

In FIGS. 1 and 3, preferably two handles 23 are formed in two loop handles 23 fabricated of a matching material to the mini-duffle bag, the two loop handles 23 each attached, preferably by stitching 19 to an outer surface of the cylindrical body surface 21, as shown in FIG. 1, or to the outer surface of the side 28 of the cover with the loop of material above the mini-duffle bag 40.

The material is preferably heavy canvas in a color and texture to match the standard issue duffle bag.

It is understood that the preceding description is given merely by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention and that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed. 

1. A duffle bag system for storing items in a duffle bag in a compact organized array, the system comprising: a series of mini-duffle bags, each comprising a flat circular bottom surface, a flat removable cover, a cylindrical hollow body surface with a top opening for receiving items packed therein, and at least one handle attached thereto for lifting and carrying each of the mini-duffle bags, the series of mini-duffle bags being stackable within a standard duffle bag in a vertical array with a flat bottom surface of a bottom mini-duffle bag resting on a bottom surface of a standard duffle bag and each subsequent bottom surface of each other mini-duffle bag resting on a flat cover of the mini-duffle bag below it and the cylindrical bodies of the mini-duffle bags contacting inner wall surfaces of the standard duffle bag within which the mini-duffle bags are stacked in a vertical array.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the mini-duffle bags is fabricated of a material and color matching a material of a standard military issue duffle bag within which the series of mini-duffle bags are stacked.
 3. The system of claim 1 wherein each cylindrical hollow body surface of each mini-duffle bag comprises an elongated rectangular sheet of material formed into a cylindrical configuration having a diameter equal to the diameter of the flat bottom surface with two ends of the sheet of material overlapping and attached together to enclose the sides of the cylindrical body surface, the flat bottom surface attached around a perimeter to a bottom edge of the body surface.
 4. The system of claim 4 wherein the flat cover is fabricated of an elongated strip of material formed into a circular array with overlapping ends attached together to form an annular side of the cover, the strip of material attached to the flat circular bottom surface around a perimeter thereof to form a flat circular cover which fits snugly over a top edge of the cylindrical body surface to close the mini-duffle bag.
 5. The system of claim 4 wherein the cover is permanently attached to the body portion along a portion of the annular side of the cover to form a fabric hinge permanently attaching the cover pivotally to the standard issue duffle bag.
 6. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one handle comprises two loop handles fabricated of a matching material to the mini-duffle bag, the two loop handles each attached to an outer surface of the cylindrical body surface with the loop of material above the mini-duffle bag.
 7. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one handle comprises two loop handles fabricated of a matching material to the mini-duffle bag, the two loop handles each attached to an outer surface of the cover with the loop of material above the cover for lifting the mini-duffle bag, the flat cover being removably attachable to the mini-duffle bag by mating hook and loop fasteners. 